Heavy rain shrouded heaven and earth, making the night pitch dark. Under the eaves, the stream-like pitter-patter of rain was crisp and pleasant to the ear, inducing a sense of languor. On the empty streets, a carriage belonging to Prince Chen moved slowly along. The red lantern hanging at the front of the carriage swayed gently in the wind and rain, its crimson light illuminating the glistening puddles on the ground.
In the carriage, the young and handsome Prince Chen sat with his eyes closed, maintaining perfect posture while calculating in his mind the causes and consequences of everything happening. For instance—
Would his father emperor certainly seek a scapegoat?
If Liu Mu wasn’t forced to death, he still wouldn’t fare well.
With their different political ideologies and different expectations for the Southern Kingdom’s future situation, would the conflicts between him and his father emperor and brothers lie dormant, or would they erupt?
Imperial power had never been absolute, yet neither had the noble families’ power. In the struggle between these two forces, if a commoner force were introduced, creating a three-way balance, then stability might be achieved.
Liu Chu asked himself honestly: If I don’t contend for that position, will I certainly die? If I don’t contend for that position, will my political aspirations never be realized? Are Lu Sanlang’s expectations of me inevitable?
The Southern Kingdom was so wealthy, yet so corrupt. Like oil over fierce flames, like brocade adorned with flowers. In just one year, the Southern Kingdom had already experienced how the Northern Kingdom watched them like a tiger eyeing its prey, and even now, because of Prince Zhao’s rebellion, this issue remained unresolved.
If no heir apparent capable of turning the tide emerged, the Southern Kingdom’s future would become increasingly precarious. If the nation cannot be preserved, what use is there in speaking of personal grudges? And among his brothers… which one possessed such capability?
Most only wished to enjoy the privileges of being emperor, not willing to endure its hardships.
Prince Liu Chu’s eyelashes trembled slightly over his closed eyes. He kept questioning himself—What about me? Previously unwilling to contend for the position, it was for self-preservation, and also unwillingness to invest so much energy. Now, having gained an advantageous position, should I step forward?
Like being in torment, Prince Chen Liu Chu kept questioning himself in the rainy night carriage, raising questions one after another, understanding the answers clearly in his heart. For someone usually so decisive, the clearer things became, the more firm his heart grew.
And the more he could understand the necessity of Lu Yun’s actions.
…
On the vast rainy night, Prince Chen drove his carriage to the Lu mansion, seeking Lu Sanlang for a night conversation. In Lu Sanlang’s “Clear Court,” the third young madam, with the help of maids and servants, had moved Lu Yun to bathe in a wooden tub in the side room. Having worked up quite a sweat, Lu Sanlang remained unconscious due to his drinking.
Her husband’s beauty was unmatched in Jianye, and even more so when drunk. Unwilling to let others take advantage of her husband’s beauty, after preparing the hot water and before his clothes were removed, Luo Lingyu hastily drove out both maids and servants. Covered in fragrant sweat and breathing softly, the young lady rolled up her sleeves to help her lord, who was sleeping against the tub’s edge, remove his clothes.
Moving his head to rest on her shoulder, she carefully peeled away his garments. Removing his crown, throwing aside his crimson-sleeved robe, belt, scholar’s knife, jade pendant, and red tassels one by one, revealing his white inner robes and undergarments. With those removed, he was bare. Luo Lingyu’s face flushed pink, her eyelashes fluttering, having stripped her husband so completely, she still felt somewhat shy, embarrassed to look.
Though embarrassed to look, she couldn’t help but raise her moth-wing-like lashes to peek secretly, then look more boldly.
Lu Yun was naturally unrestrained and frivolous, and as his favorite wife, Luo Lingyu was often enticed by him into daytime intimacy. However, though their daytime adventures were frequent because Lu Yun only undressed for that purpose, she was usually too immersed in his techniques to look properly. Now as Lu Yun bathed, it was Luo Lingyu’s first time truly seeing his body—
Broad shoulders, a slender waist, water droplets meandering down his long limbs like dormant dragons. Her lord’s long hair spread like ink on the water, black strand by strand, drops falling along his eyelashes, down his high bridge nose, rouge-red lips, then along his chin, Adam’s apple, onto his smoothly contoured chest. As the drops gathered and water covered his body, further down became shadowy and indistinct, showing only his waist and abdomen, that magnificent thing that usually left her half-dead… Luo Lingyu let out a soft moan, arms propped on the wooden tub’s edge, using her hands to cover her crimson-flushed face.
After silently chiding herself, Luo Lingyu turned her face away, telling herself not to think too much, and properly fixed her gaze on Lu Yun’s face. He was still unconscious, his complexion clear and white, features handsome and refined. His eyes and brows were dark, as gentle as a painting. Water dripped steadily from his eyelashes, wetting his eyes.
So beautiful.
Rarely seeing him so peaceful and harmless, Luo Lingyu looked and looked until her heart fluttered, then leaned forward to gently kiss his soft lips. Usually, all intimacy was initiated by him, he controlled the pace, gentle when he wished to be gentle, passionate when he wished to be passionate. Rarely did Luo Lingyu get to taste his lips herself, to know exactly what they tasted like.
Slowly and methodically, repeatedly savoring, his lips were so soft, with a mellow wine fragrance… Luo Lingyu, as if finding a favorite toy, gradually became entranced. Unable to bear the tingling in her heart, she hooked her arms around his neck, kissing him from various angles, wanting to part his teeth.
The heat suffused her face as she lingered, unwilling to part.
Suddenly feeling the chest she leaned against vibrate, a teasing laugh came from above: “Not knowing how I usually neglect my little sister, for her to be so hungry she won’t even spare me while I sleep.”
Luo Lingyu: “…!”
She instantly stiffened, quickly backing up to stand, but the clothes strewn on the ground tripped her, and as she stumbled about to fall, Lu Yun rose to catch her… Luo Lingyu’s eyes went wide seeing him stand up completely bare, crying out in alarm: “Don’t stand up!”
But it was too late. Not only did Lu Yun stand up himself, but he also pulled her. He gave her a meaningful smile, directly embracing her slender waist, pulling Luo Lingyu into the bathtub, and sitting her in his lap.
With a “splash,” the tub gained another person, naturally causing more water to overflow, soaking the entire floor, the discarded clothes couldn’t escape either. Luo Lingyu glanced once, then hit Lu Yun’s shoulder, annoyed: “Look what you’ve done! Water everywhere, when the maids come to clean up later, they’ll think we… well!”
Lu Yun also glanced, deeply agreeing, then sighed: “This truly isn’t good. Another day I should invite sister Yu to bathe in the hot springs together, then we won’t need to worry about spilling water.”
The hot springs were outdoors, with water hot enough to cook rice, and had healing properties for hundreds of ailments, benefiting people immensely without them having to move, something ordinary people had never even seen.
Hearing this, Luo Lingyu grew curious: “I’ve only heard of the Lu Mountain Princess’s Bath, it’s so precious that several great families have claimed it, I’ve never been myself. Does the Lu family also have hot springs?”
Lu Yun looked down at the beauty sitting in the water in his arms, her thin clothes soaked through, her chest especially alluring and clear to see. He looked until his mouth went dry and his eyes changed, yet still maintained his composure. Lu Yun reached out to pinch her nose tip, still smiling as he spoke: “Poor sister Yu, never having seen hot springs before. How fortunate to have married such a good husband, gaining so much knowledge.”
Luo Lingyu’s beautiful eyes raised in reproach: “Shameless! It’s all your good qualities, none of mine?”
“Naturally it’s also because sister grew up so beautifully,” Lu Yun rubbed his nose against hers, his lips ghosting over her forehead, cheeks, and lips, his eyes full of affection, gazing tenderly as he spoke, “How did sister grow up to be so perfect? Your eyes, nose, mouth, everything is perfect. How did the ancient poem go? Add a bit and it’s too long, subtract a bit and it’s too short; add powder and it’s too white, add rouge and it’s too red…”
When Third Young Master Lu wasn’t being sharp-tongued, his low, pleasant voice said such moving things. He pressed against Luo Lingyu’s ear praising her beauty, making her heart bloom with joy. She bit her lip hard, trying to suppress her delighted smile as she looked up at him.
As Lu Yun spoke, he lifted her already-soaked clothes. With practiced ease, that flourishing snow emitted a faint soft light. Luo Lingyu let out a soft “mm,” gripping his hand through the cloth, not letting him continue. Luo Lingyu said coquettishly: “Aren’t you tired? You were just so sleepy you fell right asleep.”
“No need for sister to worry, brother won’t fall asleep at a time like this. You and I have never tried ‘mandarin duck bathing’ before,” Lu Yun’s lips pressed against Luo Lingyu’s blood-red ear lobe, chuckling softly as he caressed, “Doesn’t sister want to try?”
He pressed against her once.
Luo Lingyu’s expression changed slightly, knowing she couldn’t escape this situation, her mind fuzzy as she tried hard to remember if she’d forgotten something. Steam rose as the two kissed with entwined necks, her clothes peeled away layer by layer like lotus petals. He lowered his head to kiss her rounded shoulder, hands resting on the hollow of her shoulder that dipped from trembling, Lu Yun sighed: “Sister’s shoulder hollow is so lovely, if we placed a brocade fish to play there, how interesting that would be.”
Luo Lingyu was startled, hugging his neck and burying her face in it: “I don’t want that kind of play. It’s scary.”
Lu Yun showed slight regret but made no response, and it wasn’t clear if his idea had been dismissed. At any rate, Luo Lingyu tilted her head back, water drops racing with kisses when she suddenly remembered something and dug her nails into Lu Yun’s shoulder. Lu Yun hissed, stopping to raise an eyebrow at her: “What’s wrong, not feeling good?”
Luo Lingyu: “How annoying, you only think about that! I suddenly remembered why I came to find you… did you know Wan’er is ill?”
Lu Yun frowned slightly. He had no objection to Luo Yunwan, and even quite liked her. But for Luo Lingyu brought up her sister when he was aroused, Lu Yun’s mood soured.
He made a noncommittal “mm” sound, and Luo Lingyu observed his expression: “It seems to be related to someone called ‘Yue Zihan’. Does Brother Xuchen know this person?”
Lu Yun paused: “No.”
Luo Lingyu was increasingly understanding his subtle changes in expression, both annoyed and amused, she gave him a look: “Lying to me again. You know! Brother Xuchen, tell me.”
Lu Yun glanced down below, his expression changed several times but still chose the more prudent approach of not getting angry. Lu Yun asked: “…Who is that, your lover?”
Luo Lingyu: “Lu Yun!”
Lu Yun’s expression turned cold: “Are you sure you want to discuss other men while in your brother’s arms?”
Luo Lingyu’s eyes rolled, feigning innocence. As she was about to speak again, her parted lips were sealed by Lu Yun. Kissing against her lips, Lu Yun’s voice was muffled: “Good sister be quiet, don’t deliberately provoke me… brother has been tired for several days, dealing only with official documents for days, not seeing sister, not talking with sister. For sister to anger me now would be too cruel…”
Luo Lingyu was stunned, catching sight of the dark circles under his eyes, which hadn’t faded even after his brief rest. Her heart suddenly ached for Lu Yun, not wanting to upset him further. She softened her body as much as possible, letting it open like flower petals to allow him entry.
…
The hot water had cooled, and the floor was soaking wet. The curtains fluttered, and the passion within was more delicate than the sound of rain outside, plucking at heartstrings.
In the misty steam, the young lady’s coquettish voice: “Brother, does this please you?”
After a long while, the lord’s breathing intensified, trembling and hoarse: “Good… good… sister is so understanding today.”
Luo Lingyu laughed. She mimicked his way of speaking, utterly enchanting, captivating his soul: “We’re hardly started!”
…
Back and forth, the storm raged on.
At first, the young lady was pressed by the waist in the bathtub, but later as the space was too confined and the young lady was rarely so docile, Lu Yun’s passion deepened, and he carried her out of the tub to the bed.
Drenched in sweat, at the height of their pleasure, a maid reported from outside: “My lord, Prince Chen requests an audience.”
On the bed within the chamber, with the bedding thrown to the floor, Third Young Master Lu, covering the young lady’s body, paused briefly, about to rise. His Luo Lingyu, who had been resting her face on the pillow beneath him, turned as he rose and wrapped her arms around his neck, preventing him from leaving. Luo Lingyu complained bitterly: “Don’t go! Every time he looks for you, you leave. Is he more important than me? What harm is there in making him wait?”
Lu Yun: “…Sister isn’t jealous, is she?”
Luo Lingyu snorted: “One day I’ll also find a good friend who comes to my every call, and see how you feel.”
Lu Yun laughed: “That won’t be necessary. Jealousy is harmful to health, brother is already suffering enough, just finding pleasure amid suffering… Since the sister doesn’t want the brother to leave, the brother will stay with you a while longer. After all, opportunities are rare, brother must be fully satisfied today.”
Luo Lingyu: “…!”
Pressed down again, she was startled: “I-I didn’t mean it that way…” She had only wanted to annoy Prince Chen and talk with Lu Yun a bit more.
…
When Lu Yun finally appeared properly dressed before Liu Chu, Liu Chu was sitting by the window, bored, having finished a game of chess. As Liu Chu lowered his head to contemplate the chessboard before him, across from him robes swept aside as Third Young Master Lu took his seat.
Liu Chu looked up, caught off guard by the spot of blood on Lu Yun’s lip, momentarily stunned before falling silent—he no longer assumed Lu Yun was injured somewhere when he saw him touch his lip.
Lu Yun touched his lip, chuckling lightly: “Pardon the sight. My little cat is truly fierce, couldn’t avoid getting scratched a couple of times.”
Liu Chu was speechless, only able to nod: “…You just like them that way, fierce.”
Too simple, too easy to control, and Third Young Master Lu would be lazy and uninterested. To be his match, Luo Lingyu was naturally no ordinary woman.
Lu Yun’s eyes contained laughter, unable to resist sharing his romantic triumph with Liu Chu. Liu Chu’s originally cold expression gradually relaxed, his eyes showing hints of amusement. Prince Chen spoke slowly: “You’re good like this.”
Third Young Master Lu lowered his head to brew tea for the person across from him, carelessly: “Just don’t know what Ah Man plans to do? Whether she seeks redress from me for what happened that night during the Jianye refugee uprising?”
Liu Chu shook his head.
Unable to say much, he thought all the more. Having figured things out, he was unwilling to speak much. Liu Chu dipped his finger in a drop of clear water from the cup, writing for Lu Yun to see: “What’s more important now is, how to save Prince Hengyang?”
“I’m being watched by Father Emperor and Prince Zhao, unable to betray my duty. But Prince Hengyang shouldn’t be killed by his father’s desires. The Ministry of Justice is heavily guarded, ordinary people can’t enter or leave, I need to find a reason that appears unrelated on the surface.”
“What does Third Young Master think… about arranging a prison break?”
Lu Yun’s expression turned serious, his brow twitching violently. He suddenly looked at the refined young nobleman across from him: “Liu Chu, a prison break! Are you prepared to stand against your father’s emperor?”
Liu Chu calmly: “Yes.”
Since they will eventually reach this step, better to be prepared from the start. He was never one to hesitate; Lu Yun helped him see the truth, so naturally, his decision came quickly.
Liu Chu swept the chess pieces from the board, rising to turn and watch the dark curtain of rain outside the window. He spoke softly: “The Southern Kingdom needs a successor who can maintain stability.”
…
That night, Lu Yun and Liu Chu talked through the night.
Yet the Lu mansion received another guest. At Second Young Master Lu’s quarters, an elderly person arrived.
Princess Liu Tang had gone into hiding, and Master Kong knelt at Second Young Master Lu’s feet, pleading: “Second Young Master, you’ve always been close with our young master. Now our young master is imprisoned in the Grand Marshal’s Temple, clearly a death trap. Second Young Master, can you save our young master?”
In truth, Lu Xian had never been close to Liu Mu. Master Kong was simply desperately seeking help; in all of Jianye, perhaps only Second Young Master Lu Xian, with his connections to Prince Chen, would dare get involved in Liu Mu’s affairs.
Lu Xian rose to help Master Kong up, speaking softly: “This matter began because of me, I asked him to return, yet never expected… I will save him.”
Even if it means breaking him out of prison!